Hi Reader,
This email is part of my What’s Working Now email series, where I’m bringing in some of my internet friends to share their perspective on what smart service-based business owners are doing in their branding and marketing.
You can check out past emails here, or invite your friends to join the fun here.
This week we’re featuring Alyssa Downey. Alyssa is the owner of Amp’d Designs®, a brand, web, and graphic design business based in Asheville, NC, in the U.S. She works with growing businesses who have outgrown “good enough.”
Alyssa is also an incredibly thoughtful educator and strategist, and every time she and I chat I come away with fresh ideas and perspective around what building a modern brand looks like for small business owners.
Here’s what she has to say about what’s working now in design!
WEBSITES: Transparency
Have you heard the term “trust recession”? We’re in an era where people are a lot more hesitant to invest in services, especially those that are higher-priced. People have been burned in the past by coaches and service providers who’ve overpromised but not followed through. And the reality is that a lot of people also have tighter budgets these days.
All of this means that they’re being very, very careful who they spend their money with. And this means that you now need to work harder to earn people’s trust.
Your website is a huge trust-building tool. It’s where prospective clients go to validate that you have the experience to back up your claims, and to get the information they need to feel comfortable booking.
If people can’t easily find the info they’re looking for, they’re more likely to leave your website than search for it or ask. This is why it’s so incredibly important to prioritize clarity and transparency.
In practice, this looks like sharing:
- Exactly what you offer and who it’s for (this needs to be immediately clear!)
- Your prices (if it varies, share a starting price or price range)
- Your process (walk people through what it looks like to work with you)
- Your core values
- Your background and qualifications
- A photo of yourself (I’m a huge advocate for this, because people feel more comfortable knowing exactly who they’ll be working with)
BRANDING: Intention over trends
Your brand colors, fonts, the format of your logo, your icons and patterns — all of these things communicate a feeling, core value, a piece of your personality. They are a huge opportunity to resonate and start building a relationship with clients who are the best fit for you before they have a chance to talk with you, sometimes even before they visit your website.
Nowadays, we’ve got AI setting trends with generated logos and designs, and it’s incredibly dangerous. Even if you don’t use AI yourself, it can feel tempting to jump on the bandwagon with whatever aesthetic is popular. After all, if it’s working for other businesses, it would probably work for you too, right?
Wrong! Time and time again, the most sustainable brands don’t look like everyone else. They have a distinct visual identity rooted in what they stand for and focused on their target audience.
Standing out strongly on your own is also how your business builds brand recognition, trust, loyalty, and memorability. So, I’m giving you permission to be yourself, and do it boldly!
BONUS POINTS: Be clear on where you stand with AI
While this isn’t strictly design-related, it does connect to your brand and website, and it’s becoming increasingly important. People want to know what you do and don’t use AI for in your business, and how that impacts their experience working with you. They want to feel confident trusting (again, transparency!) that their client experience is not going to be offloaded to a robot. They also want to know what’s expected of them, as far as how they may or may not be allowed to use AI during your process.
I’m not here to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with AI. But I do strongly believe it’s important to be up front about it either way. My biggest recommendation is to include an AI policy on your website, as well as talk about where you stand in your marketing. Not only does this help build trust, it attracts clients who share your perspective, and in the best way possible, repels those who don’t.
Next steps / how to dive deeper:
If these things resonated with you, I’d love to stay in touch! Find me on social media and say hello, or connect through my newsletter for growth-minded business owners. And please reach out if you’re ready for design that finally reflects your quality and propels you to your biggest business goals.
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Thank you so much to Alyssa for taking over the email this week! To connect with her and say thanks for contributing, you can visit her website or find her on Instagram and Threads.
And don't forget to read the past emails in our series here, or share the signup linkwith someone who would enjoy this!
Have a great weekend!
Kristen